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| Dopey Fans Too Relaxed for Fights |
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Posted by FoM on June 14, 2000 at 09:56:39 PT England fans turn to each other...others to dope Source: This Is London 
Dutch police today revealed the secret behind England's trouble-free opening Euro 2000 match against Portugal - openly-available cannabis.Despite the fallout between some England fans and players after the 3-2 defeat in Eindhoven, there were no reports of any trouble outside the ground. Police claimed that the availability of the drug in the Netherlands probably helped to defuse any violence among thugs normally found in a boozy rage. Scores of ticketless England fans gathered in coffee shops in Eindhoven, where cannabis is legally sold and smoked, to watch the game, greeting the defeat with mild disappointment and gentle applause. "The cannabis may have helped relax them," said Johann Beelan, Eindhoven police spokesman. "Even the hooligans enjoyed the party - and they told our officers. "There were lots of things for fans to do and everybody had a good time," he added. Only five fans were arrested, all before the game and all for minor offences. England's next match, against Germany on Saturday, is likely to provide a sterner test for the authorities as it takes place in Charleroi in Belgium - where drug laws are much tighter. Some 40,000 England fans are expected for the game - which England must win to have a hope of advancing in the tournament - 10 times the number allocated tickets. Meanwhile, discussions were taking place with UEFA today about player security at the championships following the obscene gesture by David Beckham at fans who hurled abuse after the Portugal game. Football Association executive director David Davies said: "Our security people are well aware of what went on. We will be talking to UEFA about that. There is an issue, we believe, with regard to the Perspex tunnel. "I believe that tunnels which are not see-through in this way would be better and the FA chairman, Geoff Thompson, will be raising that with the stadium and security representatives of UEFA." Beckham was pictured giving a "one-finger salute" to England fans who hurled obscene taunts at him as he walked off the pitch in Eindhoven. The taunts were reported to have included insults about Beckham's wife and son. Coach Kevin Keegan said he was present during the incident adding: "I heard the abuse and I was ashamed. He said: "If you had have been in the tunnel and heard what I heard ... I just couldn't believe it." Keegan was at pains to make it clear that the trouble had come from "eight to 10" apparently drunken people rather than the thousands of other England fans. Tory shadow attorney general Edward Garnier branded the Manchester United star's action "unacceptable", no matter how much he was provoked by spectators' taunts. Mr Garnier, MP for Harborough, said: "It sets a bad example to younger footballers and lowers the standards of footballing behaviour at all levels, from the international game to girls and boys playing at school." Other MPs backed Beckham in the row. Bob Russell, Liberal Democrat MP for Colchester, said that while the player's gesture was "regrettable", drunken fans were to blame for provoking him. Joe Ashton, the Labour chairman of the Commons All-Party Group on Football, said: "Obviously if a footballer's tired and disappointed, he is human like anybody else and if moronic so-called supporters start swearing and abusing him, it is understandable that there's a reaction." Published: June 14, 2000 Related Articles: Cannabis Helps Keep Fans Calm Euro 2000 Soccer Violence Could Vanish in a Puff Europe Through The Back Door Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #9 posted by observer on June 17, 2000 at 07:25:40 PT |
Friday, 16 June, 2000, 21:55 GMT 22:55 UK
England fans fight running battles
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_793000/793191.stm
``Riot police earlier fired tear gas at drunken
hooligans who fought running battles with each
other, local residents and police.
Fans wielding baseball bats and lead pipes
threw chairs, bottles and cans at police.
Clashes between fans and riot police are
believed to have been sparked by officers
closing an Irish bar in the centre of the city.''
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Comment #8 posted by howard on June 15, 2000 at 14:02:16 PT:
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| Comment #7 posted by FoM on June 14, 2000 at 17:00:19 PT |
The Burning Question at Woodstock '99!
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread2237.shtml
Wood Stock 1999 Photos
http://www.nandotimes.com/nt/images/woodstock/
http://alltheweb.com/cgi-bin/search?type=all&query=cannabisnews+woodstock
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Comment #6 posted by Dan B on June 14, 2000 at 13:11:40 PT:
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The parallels between these two Woodstocks and the two kinds of soccer fans in the Netherlands should not go unnoticed: The stoned were peaceful, the drunk were unruly and vicious. So much for marijuana causing violence and bloodshed!
Thank you, soccer fans, for showing everyone the difference between weed users and boozers. Chock one up for the good guys!
| Comment #5 posted by Morgan on June 14, 2000 at 13:01:24 PT |
Now, things always work a lot smoother if everyone in this
endeavor is on the same page as to who the enemy is and why
we need to destroy him.
As long as alcohol is the drug of choice of this group, it
is relatively easy to keep them riled up enough to go fight
this foe. Feed them propaganda when they're sober (on duty),
and let them stew it over in their off-duty inebriations.
(Ever see just how fanatical a drunk football fan gets?)
But, let these same people smoke some weed in their off duty
hours, and they're more than likely to independently think
about the propaganda they were told, and in that 'bigger
lens' way that one gets when high, untangle the words until
there's nothing left...but words. And a big lie that all
these words were hiding. Coupled with that 'we are all one'
feeling when high, and you have a whole bunch of people that
want nothing to do with your evil little game. It'll be like
herding a bunch of a
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Comment #4 posted by kaptinemo on June 14, 2000 at 11:43:33 PT:
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So, cannabis causes crime, Barry? What crimes were committed? (Other than the 'crime' of poor taste in berating one player's wife and child; that's making it personal, and I think the guy was justified in returning the favor. It's one thing to voice an opinion about playing skills, it's quite another when they insult your family out of vindictiveness.)
Barry, by your previous statements about cannabis's supposedly deadly effect on the Dutch murder rate, (2x ours! Oh, Barry, your bean counters must have been stoned themselves to have come up with such an outrageous figure!) the bodies must be floating like logs in the canals by now. But they obviously aren't. How do you explain that, Mr. Czar, sir?
I can't wait to hear the latest spin on this one. Barry is going to have to perform acrobatics that would put the Cirque du Soleil to shame.
| Comment #3 posted by Puritan on June 14, 2000 at 11:29:01 PT |
| Comment #2 posted by FoM on June 14, 2000 at 10:22:10 PT |
Friday, 9 June, 2000, 17:18 GMT 18:18 UK
Fearful of an invasion by marauding English football fans, the Belgians and Dutch have taken a characteristically pragmatic approach to calming tensions during Euro 2000.
Mindful that punch-ups are generally preceded by a marathon bout of drinking, they have hit on the idea of a special tournament-tailored beer, with only half the alcohol of normal brands.
Click To Read The Complete Article.
Eat, Drink, Smoke & Be Happy
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_784000/784433.stm
| Comment #1 posted by FoM on June 14, 2000 at 10:16:31 PT |
Is this the secret behind the trouble-free tournament?
Forget the special low-alcohol Festival Beer on sale at Euro 2000 - the real reason for the trouble-free behaviour of England fans is a lot stronger than that.
Police have admitted that the widespread availability of cannabis in the Netherlands has had a calming effect on fans, whom it was feared would cause trouble after the Portugal game last Monday.
Thousands of supporters are taking advantage of the relaxed nature of Dutch society, by puffing their way through the tournament.
Even the hooligans enjoyed the party - they told our officers - Police spokesman
Reports say ticketless fans in Eindhoven's coffeeshops, where marijuana is decriminalised, greeted the 3-2 defeat with "mild disappointment and gentle applause".
"The cannabis may have helped relax them," said Johann Beelan of the Eindhoven police force.
"Even the hooligans enjoyed the party - and they told our officers.
"There were lots of things for fans to do and everybody had a good time," he added.
'Here We Blow'
Pro-cannabis campaigners in the UK have seized upon the comments as evidence that authorities should take a similar approach to the drug in this country.
Have you heard of anyone smoking a joint and then starting a riot? - Ronald Dam, Amsterdam Cannabis College
Only five fans were arrested, all before the game and all for minor offences.
England's next match, against Germany on Saturday, is likely to provide a sterner test for the authorities as it takes place in Charleroi in Belgium - where drug laws are much tighter.
Some 40,000 England fans are expected for the game - ten times the number allocated tickets.
Wednesday, 14 June, 2000, 09:21 GMT 10:21 UK
Hash Keeps England Fans Happy
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/euro2000/teams/england/newsid_790000/790392.stm
Picture Gallery:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/euro2000/photo_gallery/newsid_787000/787984.stm
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